Sidewalk barbershops are a symbol of old Saigon. In the face of globalization and its demands for westernization, the sight of a simple chair placed beneath an awning where one can get an affordable trim just a few meters from a busy street is gradually vanishing.

“We’re going to Taipei on VietJet Air,” an acquaintance said to me. An international flight on Vietnam’s notoriously delayed airline didn’t sound like the best idea ever. But who would expect that I was set to fly to Tainan, a city on the island's southwest coast, just a few hours after the brief conversation with her. The reality was that I found it excruciatingly difficult to reject a cheap flight deal.

In full "ninja" attire, I braved congested streets under the scorching sun looking for the address. Finally, having spotted a sign that reads 'OldSchool Barbell System’ tucked deep inside Binh Thanh District, I hopped the curb, cheated my way to the destination towards a wide parking spot and prepared to enter a world secluded from the chaotic surroundings.

"Saigon in its golden age was a time to be remembered and passed down to younger generations. The vintage aesthetic trend in Vietnam has been around for a couple of years now and for me, it is a cause for celebration," owner Anh Tuyet said of the trend that has swept cafés and restaurants citywide. Thị's customers, meanwhile, are here for more than just the aesthetic.

Few people are aware that Saigon has an affordable, world-class emergency ambulance response service offering state-of-the-art treatment that begins the moment a call is placed from anywhere in the country.

Coc Coc, the Vietnamese-created internet browser, has grown rapidly since its launch in 2013, and now boasts 23 million users within Vietnam.

VietnamNet reports that Le Van Thanh, the founder of Coc Coc (known as "Knock Knock" in English), recently explained the strong expansion of his browser. It is now the second most-used browser in Vietnam after Google Chrome.

According to the news source, Thanh pointed to Coc Coc's strengths for this success, including automatic punctuation, correct spelling suggestions, dictionaries, Facebook access and shopping suggestions.

Data from StatCounter, a company which monitors internet use, shows that Chrome is the leading browser in Vietnam, accounting for 58.7% of users, while Coc Coc sits second with 26.6% of users.

Hubert Burda Media, a German media company, invested US$14 million in Coc Coc in 2015, and has been pleased with its decision, the news source shares. Peter Kennedy, the group's chairman, shared at a recent press conference that Coc Coc grew by 100% in 2015 and 80% in 2016, while it is expected to grow a further 50% this year.